Billfold closure device



April 24, 1951 M. BECKER BILLFOLD CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1950 INVENTOR. MILTON BECKER -of the wallet 'ed claims in which Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATESPTENT OFFICE BILLFOLD CLOSURE DEVICE Milton Becker, Passaic, N. J. Application January 26, 1950, Serial No. 140,720

3 Claims.

l This invention relates to new and useful improvements in billfolds or wallets and has for its principal object the provision of a wallet embodying improved safety means to prevent the accidental displacement of the contents thereof.

Another object of the invention is so to construct and arrange said safety means as for the same to act as an auxiliary binder for the ends when said safety means is disabled as such, and the wallet is spread open to gain access to the contents thereof.

Still another object of the invention is so to construct and arrange said safety means as for the same to be capable of being utilized as guide means for removing or partially or the like from the wallet.

For further comprehension of the invention, and ofthe objects and` advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and'accompanying drawings, and to the appendthe various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the Wallet of the invention with the safety means in effective position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the wallet with one half of the safety means moved to its auxiliary end binding position and the other half in the process of beingV moved to said position.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the wallet with the safety means moved into position to guide the removal of bills from the wallet.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the wallet with the fsafety means in operative position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 6--6 of Fig. l.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4 the wallet comprises a pair of rectangular sheets it! of leather, leatherette, plastic or the like secured together along their lower edges by stitching I'I and at their end edges by metal edging channels I2 the side walls of which are secured together and to the sheets I by means of clamping or the like, bills and the like are placed in the pocket I between sheets IG.

Inorder to provide storage for identification cards, social security cards, business cards, etc., one of the sheets I0 has secured thereto by the stitching II and channels I2 and also by stitching I6 a pair of flaps I'! each'of which extends from one end of the wallet to a point a little short of the center of fold line I8 thereof. One of the removing bills flaps I'I has a window I9 cut therein for viewing an identification card placed therebeneath. A transparent plastic inset 2G Vis provided for window I3 to protect the article placed therebeneath. In usual manner, the wallet is folded on line IB for insertion in the users pocket, the flaps I1 being located inside of the folded wallet. Y According to the invention the side walls of the edging channels I2 are widened at their upper ends as at 2I (Figs. 2 and 3), a rivet 22 passes through the widened portions of each channel I2 (Fig. 4) and also through longitudinal slots 23 in the side walls of a metal channel member 24., the heads of said rivetsv bearing looselyagainst said side walls. Y

The primary function'of the channel members 2s is that of a safety device to prevent the inadvertent displacement of bills or the like from pocket I5. To this end the channel members 24 are positioned as shown in Fig. 1, the sidewalls thereof embracing the upper edge of the wallet for the greater part of its length. Thus the opening of pocket I5 is effectively closed against the accidental displacement of the contents of the latter. The side walls of the channel members 24 are, of course, spaced apart a distance appropriate for them to grip rmly the sheet I0 and the flaps I1 at the upper edges of the wallet.

When. the wallet is spread open to remove the contents thereof great strain is placed on the ends theerof embraced by the edging channels I2. Therefore the secondary function of the channel members 2d is to act as auxiliary bindings for the ends of the wallet at such times. To this end the side walls of channel members are widened at their outer ends as at 25,sad widened portions being sprung outward as shown in Fig. 5 to facilitate engagement of the channel members 24 over the edging channels I2 as the former are moved from their Fig. 1 positions to the position of the right hand one in Fig. 2; the left hand one in Fig. 2 being shown in several intermediate positions by means of dot and dash lines.

Thus the channel members not only are positioned out of the way to facilitate gaining access to the pocket I5, but also act as auxiliary binders for the ends of the wallet.

In order to prevent the snagging of the fingers or the cuis on the upper ends of the channel function, namely to guide bills or the like in their removal from the pocket I5. This function nds particular utility in leang through a number of bills or the like to pick out a particular one. To this end the channel members 24 are positioned as shown in Fig. 3 so that the bills 21 can be partially removed from the pocket l 5 to facilitate leang therethrough, the upper ends of the members 24 guiding the upper ends of said bills. Due to the manner of mounting the members 24, namely the rivets 22 engaging the slots 23, this function can be accomplished with bills or the like of a wide range of sizes, the angular positions of the members being changed accordingly.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and mcdications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A wallet comprising a pair of superimposed rectangular sheets of flexible material secured together along their lower longitudinal edges and also along their end edges to form a pocket therebetween, said sheets being foldable about their Vertical center line, a pair of flaps each secured along their upper, lower and outer edges to one of said sheets to form a pair of pockets opening at the center of the wallet, one on either side of said center line, a pair of channel members each to embrace the upper edges of said sheets and one of said flaps and thereby to close the rst said pocket, a longitudinal slot in each side wall of each channel member, and a pair of rivets each passed through said sheets and one of said aps at the upper outer corners thereof, each said rivet also passing through the slots in the associated channel member to secure said channel member to the wallet.

2. A wallet comprising a pair of superimposed rectangular sheets of flexible material secured together along their lower longitudinal edges and also along their end edges to form a pocket therebetween, said sheets being foldable about their vertical center line, a pair of aps each secured along their upper, lower and outer edges to one of said sheets to form a pair of pockets opening atV the center of the Wallet, one on either side of said center line, a pair of edging channels binding the end edges of said sheets and the associated said flap together, a pair of channel members each to embrace the upper edges of said sheets and one of said aps and thereby close the rst said pocket, a longitudinal slot in each side wall of each channel member, and a pair of rivets each passed through one of said edging channels and the members embraced thereby near their upper ends, each said rivet also engaging in the slots in one of said channel members to adjustably secure the latter to the wallet, said channel members being slidable on said rivets to positions in which they do not close the rst said pocket but embrace and reinforce said edging channels, the side walls of said channel members being widened and slightly spread at the outer ends of the members to facilitate engagement thereof over the edging channels.

3. A Wallet comprising a pair of superimposed rectangular sheets of flexible material secured together along their lower longitudinal edges and also along their end edges to form a pocket therebetween, said sheets being foldable about their vertical center line, a pair of aps each secured along their upper, lower and outer edges to one of said sheets to form a pair of pockets opening at the center of the wallet, one on either side of said center line, a pair of edging channels binding the end edges of said sheets and the associated said flap together, a pair of channel members each to embrace the upper edges of said sheets and one of said aps and thereby close the rst said pocket, a longitudinal slot in each side wall of each channel member, and a pair of rivets each passed through one of said edging channels and the members embraced thereby near their upper ends, each said rivet also engaging in the slots in one of said channel members to adiustably secure the latter to the Wallet, said channel members being slidable on said rivets to positions in which they do not close the first said pocket but embrace and reinforce said edging channels, the side walls of said channel members being widened and slightly spread at the outer ends of the members to facilitate engagement thereof over the edging channels and rounded at their proximate ends to prevent snagging thereon when the members embrace the edging channels.

MILTON BECKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are vof record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,586,299 Ehrlinger May 25, 1936 2,176,387 Blakey Oct. 17, 1939 2,455,515 Miller Dec. 7, 1948 

